Heroes Inc.

What Heroes Inc. does

Heroes Inc. is a UK-based B2B wholesale distributor of officially licensed pop culture merchandise serving retailers, gift shops, pop culture stores, independent boutiques, and retail chains. The company operates a wholesale-only model: prospective buyers must apply for a trade account and gain approval before trade pricing is visible, and there is no consumer-facing direct-to-consumer channel. Catalog breadth covers t-shirts, hoodies, headwear, knitwear, and accessories carrying IP from 12+ major entertainment rights holders (Marvel, Disney, Star Wars/Lucasfilm, Warner Bros Discovery, WWE, Universal, Paramount, Hasbro, Netflix, Nintendo, Sony Pictures) and 60+ properties, plus music-artist merchandise (AC/DC, David Bowie, Metallica, Pink Floyd) and dedicated gaming and tabletop lines.

The technology stack is a Shopify-based e-commerce platform configured for B2B wholesale, providing account-gated trade pricing, multi-currency checkout (GBP/EUR), and seven-language storefront localization across 46 country/region destinations. Value-added services for retail buyers include swing tags, EPOS-compatible barcoding, eco-friendly packaging, warehouse-ready fulfillment, and print-to-order options intended to reduce retailer stock risk. The company operates from two confirmed locations: a UK headquarters at 2 Belton Road West, Loughborough, LE11 5TR, and a European regional entity (Heroes Inc Europe) at Castricummerwerf 45, 1901RV Castricum, Netherlands.

The business is privately held with no parent company, no disclosed external funding, no M&A activity, and no publicly named management team. Revenue figures, headcount, and founding date are not disclosed; the company has a trading DBA ("Heroes B2B") and is actively operating. Pricing is B2B trade-account gated, with a publicly visible 10%-off-first-order newsletter incentive.

Name

Heroes Inc.

Legal name

Heroes Inc

Website

https://heroesinc.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Heroes Inc. is a UK-based B2B wholesale distributor of officially licensed pop culture merchandise (Marvel, Disney, Star Wars, WWE, Nintendo and more) serving retailers and gift shops across 46 countries via a Shopify-powered trade platform and a Netherlands-based EU entity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Licensed Apparel Wholesale

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Team & League Branded Merchandise Retail (Non-Apparel) (CRAMAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Merchandising, Character & Brand Licensing (MPADALAF), Athlete Licensing, Merchandising & IP Representation (MPAKAMAH), Merchandising & D2C Management (Artists) (MPAIAGAI)

Keywords

• Licensed merchandise wholesale
• Pop culture apparel
• B2B wholesale distribution
• Licensed clothing supplier
• Wholesale gift shop merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Loughborough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Licensed Merchandise: B2B wholesale distribution of officially licensed pop culture merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, headwear, and accessories. Sells to approved retail accounts at trade pricing with no B2C consumer sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Heroes Inc. is a B2B wholesale distributor of officially licensed pop culture, music, and gaming merchandise, supplying t-shirts, hoodies, headwear, and accessories to approved retail accounts at trade pricing. The company aggregates licensed IP from franchises such as Marvel, Star Wars, WWE, Disney, Harry Potter, and 60+ other properties and ships retail-ready goods (swing-tagged, barcoded, eco-packaged) to retailers across 46+ countries via a Shopify-based wholesale platform.

Product overview

Heroes Inc. is a B2B wholesale merchandise platform offering officially licensed pop culture, music, and gaming apparel and accessories. The platform provides a unified catalog of licensed products including T-Shirts, Hoodies & Sweatshirts, Headwear, Knitwear, and Accessories across franchises such as Marvel, Star Wars, WWE, Stranger Things, Harry Potter, Disney, and horror film properties. The company operates a wholesale account system where retailers can apply for trade pricing access. Additional offerings include Steven Rhodes and Paul Frank brand collaborations, gaming merchandise, and retail-ready packaging services that add swing tags, barcoding, and eco-friendly options for warehouse fulfillment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pop Culture Licensed Merchandise Wholesale B2B platform offering officially licensed pop culture merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, headwear, and accessories featuring franchises such as Marvel, Star Wars, WWE, Stranger Things, Harry Potter, Disney, and horror film properties, sold to approved retail accounts at trade pricing.
• Music-Themed Merchandise Licensed music artist merchandise including t-shirts and apparel featuring AC/DC, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Neck Deep, and Spiritbox, supplied wholesale to retailers.
• Gaming Merchandise Gaming-themed licensed merchandise for console brands (Nintendo, PlayStation, X-Box) and game titles including Horizon Forbidden West, Ghost of Yotei, Helldivers II, God of War, Halo, and tabletop properties like Warhammer and Magic: The Gathering, sold wholesale.
• Steven Rhodes Collaboration Exclusive artist collaboration featuring Steven Rhodes' distinctive retro-gaming and horror-inspired artwork on licensed merchandise, sold wholesale to retailers.
• Paul Frank Brand Licensed Paul Frank brand merchandise featuring the iconic Julius the monkey character and other Paul Frank designs, sold wholesale to retailers.
• Licensed T-Shirts Core apparel product category featuring officially licensed t-shirts across all franchises in various colors and sizes, sold wholesale to retailers.
• Licensed Hoodies & Sweatshirts Hooded sweatshirts and pullover hoodies featuring licensed pop culture designs and character artwork, sold wholesale to retailers.
• Licensed Headwear Licensed headwear including beanies and caps featuring pop culture and gaming franchise designs, sold wholesale to retailers.
• Licensed Accessories Licensed accessories including tote bags and other merchandise items complementing the apparel range, sold wholesale to retailers.
• Licensed Knitwear Knitted apparel items featuring licensed pop culture designs, sold wholesale to retailers.
• Retail Ready Packaging Service B2B service offering swing tags, barcoding for EPOS systems, eco-friendly packaging options, and warehouse-ready fulfillment for retail environments, supplied alongside wholesale orders.
• B2B Wholesale Platform Business-to-business wholesale platform enabling retailers to open accounts, view trade pricing, and purchase licensed merchandise in bulk with account-based pricing access.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MarvelcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed merchandise partner for Marvel comic characters including Spider-Man, Deadpool, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Thunderbolts. Products include officially licensed t-shirts, hoodies, and accessories.
• DisneycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed merchandise for Disney Classics including Lilo & Stitch, Mickey Mouse, Alice in Wonderland, Toy Story, and Hercules franchises.
• Warner Bros DiscoverycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed merchandise for DC Comics, Harry Potter, and various Warner Bros entertainment properties including The Simpsons, Friends, and DC Comics characters.
• Star Wars/LucasfilmcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOfficial Star Wars merchandise licensee for Mandalorian, Ahsoka, classic Star Wars films, Andor, and other Star Wars properties.
• WWEcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOfficial WWE licensed merchandise partner for wrestling superstars including Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Rhea Ripley, Seth Rollins, and WWE branding.
• Universal PicturescoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed merchandise for Jurassic Park, Transformers, Fast & Furious, and other Universal Entertainment properties.
• Paramount PicturescoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed merchandise for Sonic, Top Gun, and various Paramount Pictures film properties.
• HasbrocoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed merchandise for Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Power Rangers, and various Hasbro toy and gaming brands.
• NetflixcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed merchandise for Stranger Things, Wednesday, and various Netflix original series.
• NintendocoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOfficial Nintendo licensed merchandise including Legend of Zelda, Mario, and other Nintendo gaming properties.
• Sony PicturescoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed merchandise for Jumanji, Ghostbusters, and various Sony Pictures film properties.
• GhostfacecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed horror merchandise brand for Scream franchise featuring Ghostface character designs including Late Night Talking and Creep It Real apparel lines.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pyramid International: UK-based B2B wholesaler of licensed pop culture merchandise including apparel, gifts, and homeware. Closely comparable to Heroes Inc. in product mix, licensing breadth, and UK wholesale channel focus.
• Half Moon Bay: UK-based licensed merchandise wholesaler specialising in pop culture, film, TV, and gaming gifts and apparel. Direct peer in B2B licensed merchandise with overlapping gift shop and independent retailer customer base.
• Bioworld International: One of the largest global B2B wholesalers of officially licensed pop culture, music, and entertainment apparel and accessories. Direct competitor to Heroes Inc. across film/TV, music, and gaming licenses with a similar multi-franchise catalogue model.
• TruffleShuffle: UK-based licensed pop culture apparel and merchandise retailer with both B2C and trade offerings. Highly comparable product range across music, film, and TV franchises, with similar customer segments in pop culture gift shops and independent retailers.
• Underground Toys: UK-based licensed merchandise wholesaler supplying pop culture retailers, gift shops, and independent boutiques with apparel, accessories, and gift items. Direct B2B wholesale peer with similar customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Funko: Large publicly listed licensed merchandise company best known for collectible figures, with growing apparel and accessories lines. Overlaps with Heroes Inc. across major franchise licenses and pop culture wholesale distribution, though Funko's core category is collectibles rather than apparel.

Regional players

• EMP Merchandising: European retailer of licensed music, gaming, and pop culture apparel and merchandise. Comparable product mix across music artists (metal/rock) and gaming franchises, with strong EU regional overlap to Heroes Inc.'s Dutch entity.
• Forbidden Planet: UK's largest retailer of pop culture, sci-fi, gaming, and licensed merchandise, operating both stores and wholesale channels. Comparable licensed franchise mix and overlapping UK customer base of gift shops and pop culture stores.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heroes-inc-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Heroes Inc.